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Tuesday, 16 June 2015

‘Behind the Text’ 8 ‘CUBAN RUMMY’

‘Behind the Text’_8_ ‘CUBAN RUMMY’

Sucked into the maelstrom

Hi,

‘Cuban
Rummy’ was published in 2012,Book 4 in sequential order, and set in 1957 Cuba, where the government is
being challenged by Marxist rebels under Fidel Castro. It has a strong opening
(in which a man is facing a shotgun on a cliff-top & doesn’t know why) and
a gentle final paragraph. In the 60,000 words in between the Reader will
encounter some of the nastiest villains in the whole ‘Jonas Forbes Saga’, a
diplomat more concerned with medieval Spanish poetry than doing his job and a
colleague resorting to out-dated American patois. Then there are two female
rivals over Jonas Forbes (though he isn’t really the lucky fellow he believes),
the CIA alarmed at the potential overthrow of an ally but uncertain whether he
deserves support, and mass hysteria over a series of child murders.

1957 was a
crucial year in Cuban history because Fidel Castro landed with a boatful of followers
– including Ché Guevara who graces these pages - and Batista’s army missed
their only chance of stamping him out. It was a year in which the USA, having
seen the USSR set a big footprint in Egypt, woke up to the fear that Communism
might find a similar centre in the Americas. It was a year in which the UK in
creating an independent Ghana underscored its steady retreat from world power
& its diplomats were treated accordingly.

An unsavoury
record in Whitehall records continues to undermine Jonas Forbes, even though
the chief source of such malicious rumours has been forced into early retirement.
However, Jonas Forbes has acquired the services of Vanessa Clarke as his ‘Girl
Friday’, although she'd scream at such a term as well as often later regretting her decision to abandon her Whitehall career.

What appeals
to me on reading this thriller – remembering that I wrote it chiefly for my own
enjoyment? Jonas again leaves his brain in his trousers but this time far
longer than any logical thinking would warrant. He’s interviewed by two contrasting
historical figures – Meyer Lansky, ‘the Mob’s Accountant’ &
entrepreneur, and Ché Guevara, rebel and future martyr for the cause. Then
there’s the hunt for the corpse of a murder victim uncovered & then hidden
away again. A lighter moment is how DI Wyatt’s patience gets stretched by both
the UK Embassy staff & Col. Raul Cortez, the notorious Intelligence
Officer.

Having been
kidnapped in ‘Scrambling South’ Jonas repeats the experience, although it’s much
more pleasurable this time thanks to Conchita Mendoza y Lobos. Again he upsets
Embassy staff, so clearly believes that is to be his role in life.

This
thriller might be upsetting for ‘those of a delicate disposition'. And if you’re
puzzled by my title, believe me it’s well justified on several levels.Next, the much more savoury plot of Jonas being hunted across Europe by the Mafia.

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About Me

I've retired from a career mainly in teaching / training. My main subject was History, although I did teach English, Sociology, Psychology & EFL at various times.I've also worked as an analyst / programmer in Training computer software 20+ years ago. I'm married with one daughter & 2 grandsons. I live near Chichester, Sussex in England and my hobbies include Family History.

During the last 20 years much of my time has been spent on writing 'The Wanderer' trilogy' (4 Historical fiction novels in print) & the 'Jonas Forbes Saga', 16 thrillers set 1954-73. I've done extensive historical research all behind these books. You can find out more about them at www.cuthan.blogspot.com.